Airplane launching device



Jan. 3, 1950 I w. NELSON 3 9 AIRPLANE LAUNCHING DEVICE Filed Aug. 20, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l 1 INVENTOR 5 l V/LL/Al? mason m 3% Jan. 3, 1950 w. NELSON 2,493,013

AIRPLANE LAUNCHING DEVICE Filed Aug. 20, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllllllrl gduuuuuuuuu(mum INVENTOR W/LL /A/7 NELSON BY a ATTORNEW Patented Jan. 3, 1950 Ul llTEl) STATES PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757-) 9 Claims.

This invention relates to an airplane launching device and has for an object to provide an improved means of assisting airplanes in being launched in a limited area.

A further object of this invention is to provide an airplane launching or catapulting device wherein the power of the airplane engine is assisted by a fluid turbine during takeoff so as to provide additional power in order to assist the airplane in getting ofi the ground surface.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fluid turbine catapult for airplane takeoff utilizing expansive power of any compressed fluid such as compressed air, high pressure steam, water, or other gas or liquid having either a natural or transmitted pressure for actuating turbine blades.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved carriage on which the airplane is carried during the launching process, and to provide a turbine actuated means for quickly accelerating the carriage while carrying the airplane until it is launched and for then even more quickly braking the carriage to a stop after the airplane has taken off therefrom.

A further object of this invention is to provide a means for holdin the carriage against movement while the airplane motor is being warmed up and then for simultaneously releasing the carriage from such holding means and giving it an initial impetus so as to start it moving and allow the turbine to be actuated by the fluid already provided under pressure.

A further object of this invention is to provide an airplane supporting carriage which is operated along a lineal turbine having stationary turbine blades for directing the pressure fluid against the turbine blades of the carriage and further provide valve means for releasing the pressure fluid from the pressure line to the turbine blades only while the turbine blades of the carriage are in a position to be effected thereby, and to provide a cam means carried by the carriage for actuating the fluid at the proper time.

A still further object of this invention is to provide rotatably mounted turbine blades on the launching carriage and a means on the carriage for automatically rotating such blades so that when they are placed in a carriage propelling direction at the beginning of the runway they will be rotated to a carriage retarding 0r braking position just as or after the airplane is launched therefrom.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a schematic view of the airplane launching mechanism with the airplane carried in battery position ready to be started on its launching 'run;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the turbine runway with the airplane in position on the carriage thereon;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the airplane carriage and the track and turbine;

Fig. 4 "is a sectional view of the turbine and Fig. 6 is a .partlyfragmentary plan view of the carriage and of the carriage turbine blade rotating mechanism; and

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the mechanism of Fig. 6.

'There is shown at HI the launching track or runway on which is to be actuated the launchin carriage i l for carrying any suitable type of airplane l2 here shown as a seaplane having .pontoons l3 .fitted on the carriage I I but obviously any type of airplane where the seaplane, land plane or amphibian may be used, the airplane supporting bed I4 being made suitable for the particular aircraft to be launched thereby.

The runway Ill includes a pair of tracks l5 cooperating with slippers I6 on the carriage for slidably supporting the carriage thereon, al* though it will be understood that suitable guiding wheels may be substituted therefor. The runway HI includes a fluid pressure conduit I! which receives its fluid pressure from a pressure line It controlled by cutoff valve 20, although any type of fluid pressure may be used. High pressure steam is probabl the preferred form and the description herein will probably refer to steam, it being understood that any other fluid pressure may be substituted therefor. Steam going from .the line 18 passes into pressure conduit l1. This conduit I1 is provided with a great number of oppositely disposed poppet valves 2! and 22 normally held in closed position by both the steam pressure and by compression coil springs 23 extending about valve stems 24 and 25 between the conduit walls 26 and the back of the valves 2! and 22.

The valve stem 24 terminates in an upstandin finger 21 which extends inside of a loop 28 formed on its paired valve stem 25. This loop 28 also terminates in an upstanding finger 30, which it will be noted extends over the stem 24. The fingers 21 and 30 are spaced apart, it being observed that the finger 21 is nearer to its paired valve 22 and correspondingly finger 30 is nearer its paired valve 2|. To insure that the fingers 38 and 21 remain in vertical position, a suitable guiding spline such as 3| and corresponding groove may be provided within each of the bosses 32 in the walls 26 through which the valve stems 24 and 25 extend. As will be apparent from Fig. 4, the valves 2| and 22 are moved to open position as their fingers 21 and 30 are moved so as to increase the space therebetween. This action is caused by passing a boat-shaped cam 33 therebetween, a wedge shaped bow 34 passing into the space between the fingers 21 and 30 to gradually open them against the pressure of the steam and the compression springs and holding them open while the main body of the cam 33 passes thereby, and allowing them to close gradually as the wedge shaped stem 35 of the cam 33 passes therethrough with the steam and compression springs 25 causing the closing action. This cam 33 may be thoroughly greased or lubricated to reduce friction as it passes through the successive pairs of valve stem tongues on the runway.

This valve actuating cam 33 is inherently supported by and attached to the bottom of the carriage As each valve 2| and 22 is successively opened it permits steam from the steam conduit H to escape through the opening in the valve seat 36 and to continue passing through the valve as long as the cam 33 is in the valve opening position. The steam passing the valve enters the respective nozzles 31 and is deflected against a series of appropriately positioned turbine blades 38 mounted on the bottom of the carriage II, the nozzle 31 and the blades 38 being so directed as to cause the maximum reaction against the blade and thus move the carriage I along the runway III.

In order to utilize the steam pressure as efficiently as possible, a plurality of turbine blades is provided, there being a series of stationary blades 40 mounted in the runway base 4| and then a second series of movable blades 42 also mounted on the bottom of the carriage II. If desired, for further eificiency, additional series of turbine blades may be utilized on the carriage and on the runway. After passing through the various series of turbine blades, the steam escapes to the exhaust conduit 43, whence it is discharged through an outlet 44 to a suitable condenser or to the atmosphere. As will be observed, this mechanism of the valve, nozzle and turbine blades is duplicated on opposite sides of the runway identically except for the difierence in the valve stem, as already described.

While the carriage turbine blades 38 and 42 may be fixed in the direction indicated in Fig. 4, they are preferably rotatably mounted as brought out in Figs. 6 and 7, whereby they may be rotated 180 so that when they reach a certain point in the runway at which point the airplane l2 will have been launched from the carriage H, the steam pressure may thereafter assist in braking or retarding the carriage preparatory to its being returned to initial position for launching another airplane. Each turbine blade 38 and 42 is provided with a bearing 43 journaled in the bottom 44 of the carriage H and has a shaft 45 extending through the bottom 44 and terminating in the cog-wheel 46 meshed with the teeth of a rack 41. This rack 41 is provided with a T base 48 extending into a corresponding T slot 5|) in the carriage bottom 44 so as to slidably guide the rack 41. This rack 41 is provided with a pin 5| extending into a slot 52 of a lever 53 pivoted to the carriage bottom as at 54, and provided with tension springs 55 anchored thereto and to the carriage bottom so as to keep the lever 53 to one side or the other of dead center.

The lever 53 is provided with an extending arm 56 adapted to abut against a stop 51 suitably located along the length of each track l5 at the position along the runway Ill where it is desired I to rotate the blades 38 and 42 and assist in retarding the carriage II, the distance between the slot 52 and the lever pivot 54 being just sufficient so that the motion of the rack 41 will just rotate the cogs 46 the necessary amount to reverse the direction of the turbine blades 38 and 48. It will be further understood that beyond the stop 51 the fixed blades 40 will be fixed in the opposite direction to that shown in the portion 44. Suitable glands 58 are provided between the carriage bottom 44 and the turbine path so as to prevent loss of pressure of the live steam while the carriage is passing thereover.

In order to quickly initiate the movement of the carriage H, a suitable mechanism such as is schematically shown in Fig. 1, is provided. This includes a holdback lever 60 pivoted at 6| having one end 62 held in the path of the carriage i while its other end 63 is held by a rod 64 extending from a piston 65 within a steam cylinder 58 connected by a steam line 61 through a three-way valve 68 and a cut-off valve 19 to the steam supply line I8.

The three-way valve 58 when in the position shown in full in Fig. 1 with the cut-off valve 1!] opened supplies the full steam pressure against the back of the valve piston 65, thus holding the carriage H against movement. When the valve 68 is rotated 90 in the clockwise direction to the dotted line position the cylinder 66 is connected to a vent 1|, thus cutting off the steam supply through the cylinder 66 and permitting the steam already therein to escape through the vent 1|, thus permitting the holdback lever 60 to be rotated to carriage releasing position.

The steam line 61 also connects to a fourway valve 12. This valve 12 in the full line position connects the steam line 61 to a steam line 13 leading to a cylinder 14 within which is located a movable piston 15. The area of this piston is somewhat less than the area of the piston 65. Extending from the back of piston 15 is a heavy pusher rod 16 which extends outside the cylinder 14 and abuts the back of the carriage H. Extending from the cylinder 14 on the side of the piston 15 from which the pusher rod 16 extends is a steam line 11 connecting back 00 to the four-way valve 12 and through the valve '12 to a vent 18. v In operation, the airplane I2 is placed on the 15 which, being of less area than the area of the The motor of the piston 55, cannot yet move. airplane |2 may be thoroughly warmed up, suitanemia able conventional mechanism, not shown, being provided on the carriage H to prevent the airplane I32- from moving off the carriage ll until after the airplane and carriage have moved a suitable distance down the runway After the motor is thoroughly warmed up the three-way valve 68 is rotated 90, thus permitting the steam in cylinder 85 to escape through vent-H- and relieving the pressure on the holdback lever 80 The steamincylinder M then moves the piston 1.5 to actuate the premure ram 16 against the back of the carriage ll, thus giving it a quick start. Thecarriage H with the airplane I2 supported thereon is thereby started down the run way it! at a rapid rate. The cam 33 than passes betweenthe paired valve stem fingers 21 and 38, opening the valves from conduit 1 l to-the nozzle 3! and then to the series of turbine blades, thus rapidly accelerating the carriage ll until the airplane is moving at a flying speed, at which time it leaves the carriage H and commences its flight. At or shortly after this point the carriage H reaches the position at which the lever 53 hits the stop 51, reversing the direction of the turbine blades 38 and 42 and thus causing the steam pressure to assist in braking or retard- I ing the carriage II.

The carriage H is then returned to the initial or battery position by any suitable means such as a cable or the like, the cut-off valve 29 having been first closed to prevent any steam pressure from resisting its return movement. The fourway valve '12 is rotated 90" in a clockwise direction, permitting the steam in cylinder M in front of piston to be connected to the vent 18 while line 61 is connected through valve 12 and steam line 11 to the opposite side of piston 15, thus returning the piston to the initial or battery position. When the carriage H is in its initial position the three-way valve 68 is then restored to the full line position with the hold back lever 61! in operating position, thus causing the cylinder 65 to move to the position for holding the holdback lever 60 in such operating position. Thereafter another airplane l2 may be placed on the carriage II, the four-way valve 12 restored to the full line position, and the check valve opened again, making the launching device ready to repeat its cycle of operations and launching the airplane now in position thereon.

Other modifications and changes in the proportions and arrangements of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the nature and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and/or used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. An aircraft catapult comprising an aircraft carriage, a launching runway, and a cooperative linear turbine blading arrangement means on said carriage and in said runway, said cooperative turbine means comprising a plurality of linear turbine blades on said carriage, and a plurality of fixed turbine blades extending linearly along said runway, said turbine blades on said carriage being rotatable from a carriage advancing direction to a carriage retarding direction.

2. An aircraft catapult comprising an aircraft carriage, a launching runway, and a cooperative linear turbine blading arrangement means on said carriage and insaid runway, said cooperative turbine means comprising aplurality of linear turbine blades on said carriage, a plurality of fixed turbine blades extending linearly along said run-- way, said turbine blades on: said carriage being rotatable from acarriage advancing direction to a carriage retarding direction, and means for automatically changing the direction of said turbine blades when said carriage has reached a predetermined point on said runway.

3. An aircraft catapult comprising an aircraft carriage, a launching runway, and a cooperative turbine means on said carriage and in said run- Way, said cooperative turbine means comprising a plurality of turbine blades on said carriage, a

plurality of fixed turbine blades extending along said runway, said turbine blades on said carriagebeing rotatable from a carriage advancing direction to a carriage retarding direction, means for automatically changing the direction of said carriage turbine blades when said carriage has reached a predetermined point on said runway, said means comprising a shaft on eachcarriage turbine blade, a cogwheel on said shaft, a rack meshed with said cogwheel and movably mounted on said carriage, and lever means connected to said rack for moving said rack when said lever means is moved.

4. An aircraft catapult comprising an aircraft I carriage, a launching runway, and a cooperative linear turbine blading arrangement means on said carriage and in said runway, said cooperative turbine means comprising a plurality of linear turbine blades on said carriage, a plurality of fixed turbine blades extending linearly along said runway, and a fluid pressure conduit along said runway and cooperative means on said carriage and. V

in said fluid pressure conduit for releasing the fluid pressure in said conduit to said cooperating turbine means as said carriage passes along the runway.

5. An aircraft catapult comprising an aircraft carriage, a launching runway, and a cooperative linear turbine blading arrangement means on said carriage and in said runway, said cooperative turbine means comprising a plurality of turbine blades on said carriage, a plurality of fixed turbine blades extending linearly along said runway, a fluid pressure conduit along said runway and cooperative means on said carriage and in said fluid pressure conduit for releasing the fluid pressure in said conduit to said cooperating turbine means as said carriage passes along the runway, said cooperating means comprising a series of self-closing valves in said fluid pressure conduit, and cam means on said carriage for opening only such of said valves as are in the vicinity of the carriage as it passes along said runway.

6. An aircraft catapult comprising an aircraft carriage, a launching runway, and a cooperative turbine means on said carriage and in said runway, said cooperative turbine means comprising a plurality of turbine blades on said carriage, a plurality of fixed turbine blades extending along said runway, at fluid pressure conduit and cooperative means on said carriage and in said fluid pressure conduit for releasing the fluid pressure in said conduit to said cooperating turbine means as said carriage passes along the runway, said cooperating means comprising a series of selfclosing valves in said fluid pressure conduit, and cam means on said carriage for opening only such of said valves as are in the vicinity of the carriage as it passes along said runway, said valves being paired, the valves of each pair extending in opposite directions from each other, valve stemson said pair of valves extending toward each other and angular fingers extending from each valve.

stem, said angular finger of each valve stem being nearer to the other valve than the angular finger ofthat valve and being slightly spaced from the first angular finger, whereby said cam means may pass between said valve fingers to open said valves.

7. An aircraft catapult comprising-an aircraft carriage, a launching runway, and a cooperative turbine means on said carriage and in said runway, pressure actuated holdback means for preventing movement of said carriage at initial position on said runway and pressure actuated pusher ram means behind said carriage for imparting an initial impetus to said carriage, the total pressure on said holdback means being greater than the total pressure on said pusher ram means.

8. An aircraft catapult comprising an aircraft carriage, a launching runway, and a cooperative turbine means on said carriage and in said runway, pressure actuated holdback means for preventing movement of said carriage at initial position on said runway, pressure actuated pusher ram means behind said carriage for imparting an initial impetus to said carriage, the total pressure on said holdback means being greater than the total pressure on said pusher ram means, and valve means to said holdback pressure means and venting same permitting the pressure on said pusher ram means to initially actuate said carriage.

9. An aircraft catapult comprising an aircraft carriage, a launching runway, and a cooperative turbine means on said carriage and in said run-- way, pressure actuated holdback means for preventing movement of said carriage at initial position on said runway, and pressure actuated pusher ram means behind said carriage for imparting an initial impetus to said carriage, the total pressure on said holdback means being greater than the total pressure on said pusher ram means, valve means to said holdback pressure means for disconnecting the pressure to said holdback pressure means and venting the same, permitting the pressure on said pusher ram means to initially actuate said carriage, and a four-way valve to said pusher ram means pressure line leading through said pressure valve to both sides of said pusher ram means, whereby said pusher ram means may be pressure actuated in either direction.

WILLIAM NELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,304,287 Emmet May 20, 1919 1,411,597 Trask Apr. 4, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 470,767 Great Britain Aug. 20, 1937 

